Information visualization device and information visualization method

Abstract

An information visualization device includes: a content specifier specifying a desired content item in a database; a first display information generator generating first display information by combining first meta-information items out of the meta-information items included in the desired content item; a second display information generator generating second display information by combining second meta-information items out of the meta-information items included in the desired content item; a display information placer generating an information CG model by placing the first and second display information on first and second surfaces of the CG model; a CG model attitude determiner determining an attitude of the information CG model in a virtual space so that the first or second surface is visible from a virtual viewpoint; and a CG model placer placing the information CG model with a determined attitude in the virtual space according to the position information.

1 . An information visualization device which places and displays a CG model having two or more surfaces in a virtual space, comprising:
 a content database storing one or more content items, each of which including a plurality of meta-information items;   a content specifier configured to specify a desired content item in the content database;   a first display information generator configured to generate first display information by combining one or more first meta-information items out of the meta-information items included in the desired content item;   a second display information generator configured to generate second display information by combining one or more second meta-information items out of the meta-information items included in the desired content item, the second display information having a different information amount from that of the first display information;   a display information placer configured to generate an information CG model by placing the first display information on a first surface of the CG model and by placing the second display information on a second surface of the CG model, the first surface and the second surface being different from each other;   an information receiver configured to receive information representative of a virtual viewpoint and position information of the information CG model in the virtual space from an external device;   a CG model attitude determiner configured to determine an attitude of the information CG model in the virtual space so that the first surface or the second surface is visible from the virtual viewpoint when the information CG model is placed according to the position information in the virtual space;   a CG model placer configured to place the information CG model with a determined attitude in the virtual space according to the position information; and   a display configured to display the information CG in the virtual space from the virtual viewpoint.   
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the CG model attitude determiner determines the attitude of the information CG model so that one of the first surface and the second surface is visible and the other is invisible from the virtual viewpoint. 
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 2 , further comprising an attitude indicator configured to select either one attitude of a first attitude or a second attitude correspondingly to a selection signal given from an external device and indicate the one attitude to the CG model attitude determiner, the first attitude making the first surface visible and the second surface invisible and the second attitude making the second surface visible and the first surface invisible,
 wherein the CG model attitude determiner determines the attitude of the information CG model in accordance with indication from the attitude indicator.   
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 2 , wherein when there is no attitude in which the one surface is visible and the other surface is invisible, the CG model attitude determiner determines the attitude so that the other surface seems maximally small. 
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 4 , further comprising an attitude indicator configured to select either one attitude of a first attitude or a second attitude correspondingly to a selection signal given from an external device and indicate the one attitude to the CG model attitude determiner, the first attitude making the first surface visible and the second surface invisible or seem maximally small and the second attitude making the second surface visible and the first surface invisible or seem maximally small,
 wherein the CG model attitude determiner determines the attitude of the information CG model in accordance with indication from the attitude indicator.   
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a CG model transformation processor,
 wherein the CG model attitude determiner determines the attitude of the information CG model so that one of the first surface and the second surface is visible and the other is invisible from the virtual viewpoint, and   wherein when the CG model attitude determiner determines that such an attitude is not existent, the CG model transformation processor transforms the information CG model so that the one surface is visible and the other surface is invisible from the virtual viewpoint.   
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 6 , wherein the CG model transformation processor transforms the information CG model so that the one surface seems maximally large from the virtual viewpoint. 
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 6 , further comprising a transformation indicator configured to select either one transformation of a first transformation making the first surface visible and the second surface invisible or a second transformation making the second surface visible and the first surface invisible correspondingly to a selection signal given from an external device, and indicate the one transformation to the CG model transformation processor,
 wherein the CG model transformation processor transforms the information CG model in accordance with indication from the transformation indicator.   
     
     
         9 . An information visualization method which places and displays a CG model having two or more surfaces in a virtual space, comprising:
 accessing a content database storing one or more content items, each of which including a plurality of meta-information items;   specifying a desired content item in the content database;   generating first display information by combining one or more first meta-information items out of the meta-information items included in the desired content item;   generating second display information by combining one or more second meta-information items out of the meta-information items included in the desired content item, the second display information having a different information amount from that of the first display information;   generating an information CG model by placing the first display information on a first surface of the CG model and by placing the second display information on a second surface of the CG model, the first surface and the second surface being different from each other;   receiving information representative of a virtual viewpoint and position information of the information CG model in the virtual space from an external device;   determining an attitude of the information CG model in the virtual space so that the first surface or the second surface is visible from the virtual viewpoint when the information CG model is placed according to the position information in the virtual space;   placing the information CG model with a determined attitude in the virtual space according to the position information; and   displaying the information CG model in the virtual space from the virtual viewpoint.